Minister announces Interim Chair for Board of Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has announced the appointment of Dr Mark Sweeney as an Interim Chair for the Board of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHC).

Minister Mallon said:

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Mark Sweeney to this important post.  I am confident that with Mark’s knowledge of the issues facing NITHC he will make a valuable contribution to the work of the board in his role of Interim Chair.”

The appointments have been made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland Code of Practice.

Notes to editors: 

1. The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHC) is a Public Corporation which was established by the Transport Act (NI) 1967.  Its responsibilities include holding and managing property assets and the oversight, in terms of support, control and supervision, of its private limited subsidiary companies, the principal ones being Ulsterbus, Metro (previously Citybus) and Northern Ireland Railways, trading jointly as Translink.  It is expected to operate commercially and has a duty to operate in line with Ministerial policy. 
2. The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company currently have a membership of three Executive Members and five Non Executive Members. The Chair of the NITHC Board will receive remuneration of £35,704 per annum.
3. The appointment is effective from 12 February 2020 and will be up to when a new Chair for NITHC is appointed.
4. The preparation work to launch a competition to appoint a new Chair for the NITHC Board is currently underway within the Department.
5. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published. Dr Mark Sweeney has declared that he has not undertaken any political activity. 
6. Dr Mark Sweeney has a background in the industrial, commercial and manufacturing sectors within Northern Ireland, Europe and the USA. He is a former Vice President of Caterpillar and Managing Director of FG Wilson.  He graduated from Queens University, Belfast with a 1st class honours degree and PhD in Mechanical Engineering. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He was President of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry from 2006-2008. In 2007 he was awarded an OBE for services to business and in 2011, an Honorary D.Sc. Degree from Queen's University. He is a current Non-Executive Director of Invest NI for which he receives remuneration of £12,517 per annum.
7. Dr Sweeney has been a Non-Executive Member of the NITHC Board since the 2 January 2016.  For this position he received remuneration of £12,450 per annum.
8. All media queries in relation to the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company should be directed to the Department for Infrastructure Press Office on 028 9054 0007 or e-mail: press.office@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk. Out of hours please contact the duty press officer on 028 90372110.
9. Follow the Department for Infrastructure on Twitter @deptinfra and on Facebook @DepartmentforInfrastructure.

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